Are You Thriving?

thrive


verb (used without object), thrived or throve  [throhv], thrived or thriv·en  [thrivuhn], thriv·ing.

to prosper; be fortunate or successful.to grow or develop vigorously; flourish:The children thrived in the country.

2020 has been a special year. I think that goes without saying. Looking back there’s been terrific moments and some uncomfortable moments. No doubt some exciting moments have occured in 2020.

People focusing their attention on COVID-19. People focusing their attention on RACISM. People focusing their attention on POLITICS. People focusing their attention on SO MANY THINGS.

It’s easy to get distracted on so many shiny objects in the season the world is in presently. Transition, upheaval and tremendous uncertainties prevail in our lives in unprecedented measure.

How are all of these manifestations affecting the Kingdom of God that’s within YOU?!

Everything I’ve mentioned above are all outward realities. The question is what’s taking place within your own soul? Within your mind? Within your heart?

Are you shaken or stirred?

The reality for the follower of Christ is that we ought to be completely unmoved by outward appearances. It doesn’t matter what our eyes see. It doesn’t matter what our ears hear. It doesn’t mater our feelings feel.

The reality of the matter is that we are not of this world. We are foreigners just passing through. If that’s the case, health crisis, racial crisis, political crisis, or any other crisis… we are equipped to THRIVE!

Right now! Right now! There’s never been more opportunity to absolutely thrive in the earth. If you’re not able to thrive in the reality to which we live there’s something being missed. There’s something that needs to change because now it’s so available to those who seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

We need to get after it people because the harvest has NEVER been riper than it is at this very moment. It’s time to harvest and deploy resources. It’s time to use unrighteous mammon for the express intent of populating heaven.

Time to move passed pity parties.
Time to move passed naval gazing.
Time to get out of the pew.
Time to get out of the lazy-boy.

Time to be bold. Time to be courageous. Time to believe for great and awesome things.

Time to get after it.

It’s time to THRIVE!!

Say “Hello” To Everyone…

Be Friendly… Be Confident… Say Hello

“When you say hi 👋 to everyone on the street, all the doors open.”

Having sold cable services door to door several years back, I began to realize anybody who I saw outside walking around, eventually, I’d be knocking on their door too.

Initially, I thought, “I don’t want to bother anyone or say hi. I’ll just mind my own business. People don’t want to talk to me because I’m in their neighborhood and knocking on their doors trying to “sell them something.”

It’s true, I was trying to sell them something, but it was something that if I was knocking on your door, you wanted what I was offering. In some cases, it was free TV cable services and in other cases, it was to lower your monthly bill by $20-40/month.

In time I realized that when I said “hello” and initiated a conversation with people, they responded in kind. Then when I knocked on their door they would see me, answer and be friendly. Saying hello to people first, puts in their mind that you’re friendly, kind and an okay person.

Before I started saying hi intentionally I was just trying to mind my own business and not bother people, they would be leery of me once inside their home, not consciously per say, but an opportunity was missed. An opportunity to make a friend, an opportunity to acknowledge another individual – to make them seen in a world distracted and focused on so many other things than real-life – living people.

It’s amazing how people LOVE to be acknowledged, for someone else to take the first step of initiation towards relationship. If you think about it, EVERY relationship starts with a “hello and introduction.”

Have you heard of the Meyer’s Briggs Test? I tested about as hardcore of an “introvert” as one can be on the test. They test for psychological tendencies and then categorize people into different groups based on the results. Apparently my personality type is something like 1.6% of the population or something ridiculous. Who knows how they come up with these stats anyway? For the record, I’m not a big fan of this test because people tend to make this an excuse for “who they are” or an “identity to get stuck in” and don’t make an effort to change and grow. I’ve heard people say stuff like, “I’m introverted, I don’t like to chit chat or have superficial conversation.” Sorry, that might be true but that perspective and attitude serves nobody and is quite frankly leaning towards selfishness.

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Side note: Jesus was perfectly introverted and extroverted. He’s the model for our lives. Being “introverted isn’t an excuse to not talk with and engage with people because the idea is to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” Making an effort to communicate with others in social situations isn’t always about our personal feelings, it’s about reaching out and being interested in the person in front of us. That simple act of being interested in someone else is so loving, we have no idea.

So, as I began to say hello to the random stranger on the sidewalk it equated directly to making a friend, which translated into them opening their door to me when I knocked on it and then closing more sales because if people don’t even open their door there’s 0 opportunity to help someone … who will inturn help you.

Seriously, if I didn’t say “hello” to people on the street they basically never opened their door to me. I knew they were home. They knew I knew they were home because I would watch them go into the house. People unconsciously take it personally if you don’t say hello and they take it personally if you do say hello.

What kind of outcome would you like in your life? More friends or less? More people to help and who will help you or less?

We really do need each other much more than we even realize.

Hi friend, I hope you’re well today! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

Ohh yeah, and don’t forget to smile. Sometimes I do. I’m reminding myself. A smile is your best feature when meeting someone for the first time… 😉

“When you say hi 👋 to everyone on the street, all the doors open.”

Magnify the Lord

Magnify the Lord, not the problem.

Life is full of difficulties, frustrations, challenges, sorrows, injustices, sadness, etc.

Really, the list could go on…

How do we view life when faced with a mountain or obstacle? Do we focus on it with anxiety, trepidation, fear, and intimidation?

That’s called stress.

Whether it’s a relationship, issue with work, finances, car not working, company going out of business, loss of a loved one…

How are we to respond? In the moment of trial, where do we turn?

Alcohol?
Drugs?
Prescriptions?
People?
Sex?
Work?
Money?
Check out mentally and/or emotionally?

“Magnifying” those options will never lead anywhere with lasting change or improvement. Magnifying the problem, will not serve you well mentally, emotionally or physically.

What if we turned our eyes towards Jesus, the Author of Life? What if we could magnify Him?

[Job 36:24 NKJV] 24 “Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung.

[Psa 34:3 NKJV] 3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.

[Psa 69:30 NKJV] 30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.


If our small brains would simply take a minute to pause, think about how BIG the God of Heaven and Earth truly is, plus His promises over our lives, we would be able to remain in a state of peace and joy, no matter how distressed a situation might seem or even be.

[Rom 8:28 NKJV] 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Based on this one verse, I find it helpful to ask the Holy Spirit to show me just 1 thing that He is doing in this “circumstance” for my good? Once I find the 1 thing, it’s as if comfort comes along and sucks all the chaos out of the room into a black hole abyss never to return. Jesus is big. Jesus is good. Jesus loves me.

[Rom 8:37-39 NKJV] 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Whatever you’re going through right now, no matter how big it seems, MAGNIFY the Author of Life. MAGNIFY His possibilities in the situation and circumstance. MAGNIFY Him and declare the outcome He is capable of with your own lips. For the born again, Holy Spirit baptized believer, the Living God flows in and through you. Speak out His good will and result. Speak out the good outcome. Declare it full of faith in Jesus name.

Then wait. Then listen. Then watch it manifest according to your faith.

Remember: Yoke easy. Burden light.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. Shall we?

MAGNIFY. extol; glorify.

Gossip & Slander

Gossip & Slander

Gossip…

It’s funny.

The Bible talks about gossip and slander as significant sin issues.

Society is filled with people talking about people. Social media has exponentially allowed for the world wide conversation to escalate in epic proportion.

The definition of gossip is as follows…

1. casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.

2. a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others

3. rumor or report of an intimate nature

Slander is defined as…

  1. the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation
  2. a false and defamatory oral statement about a person

The irony about the topic of sin pertaining to conversation is that with so much talking going on seldom do we hear the preacher, teacher, TALK about this very issue.

This post isn’t to fault anyone, it’s simply a point to highlight because I cannot recall one message, aside from someone else writing on the subject in a blog that I read once upon a time.

Honestly speaking, having conversation about others, especially others that we’ve never actually had a conversation with in a negative light, a majority of the time, is fruitless, weak and unnecessary.

Personally, when I find myself talking about others, I ask myself if I’d say the same thing to the person’s face or in their presence. If I don’t feel as though I would say it to their face, I’d likely be guilty of gossip or slander and do my best to not say the thought or share the idea.

Let’s face it; gossip and slander are tools the accuser of the brethren uses against the saints, one to another. In a real sense, any time someone speaks gossip and slander, they are partnering with Satan. Frightening picture to behold, but it’s the reality.

Check out what the book of James has to say about the taming of the tongue…

For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a ]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ]Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of]nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. – James 3:2-12

If we’re honest with ourselves, we can admit guilt when it comes to both gossip and slander. Every single person on the planet is absolutely guilty of participating in these sins. No one is unique or guilt free.

So what do we do?

We pray. We pray to ask the Holy Spirit the power and self-control to not participate in such conversation. Ephesians 5:18-21 talks about what we are to speak to one another.

18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear ofGod.

Philippians also mentions the things in which we’re to think about as well…

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you

We pray that the Lord would give us the ability through His Spirit to tame the tongue, moment-by-moment, day-by-day. It’s possible through His leadership in Jesus’ name.

Come Lord Jesus come….

Are you searching in the dark? Try the Light.

Are you searching in the dark? Try searching in the Light.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Keith has a great story zealously looking to follow the words of the Messiah.

Maybe you can relate to his search for truth, meaning and purpose?

Are you living whole-hearted the way God created you to be?

Deep down, you know if you are living out who you were designed to be or if you’re living an alternate reality of the fullness God had in mind for you to become.

Jesus – the Author of Life is the ONLY One who can put you on course to live the fullness of who you were made to be in the earth. Invite Him in and watch the change take place. 🙂

10X Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Since 2019 began, I’ve been reading Philipians over and over. I ‘d like to say daily but that wouldn’t be accurate. This short 4 chapter book is rich with nutrients for the soul of the born again believer. Seriously, renew your mind with the nuggets, promises and commands in the pages of this book.

Think about the beauty and simplicity of this one little verse. Simple, but profound. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!

Why?

My thoughts think about the reality of eternal life. How short this life is and how long the after life is… forever! Definitely the most important question a human could ask in my opinion. What happens after we die?

For those who repent, become born again as the Bible communicates, having relationship with Jesus, we are assured our names will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Our destiny is with Jesus forever ruling and reigning with Him. Hallelujah! What a glorious reality especially in light of the alternative option, eternity in Hell. Yuck.

No matter how bad, challenging or disappointing life might get we can rejoice! We can rejoice for several reasons.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Whatever life brings at us, we know there’s at LEAST one thing that God is doing for our good. If we can look for that thing God is producing in the circumstance, then it makes it a lot more tolerable. We can even rejoice in it because something good is being done to benefit us.

Additionally, if discovering one thing that God is working out on our behalf is too difficult or uninteresting, just reflect on the reality of how short this life is, how it’s almost over, and eternity is a breath away. Jesus conquered death by dying on a cross, rising again after 3 days so we can be with Him forever to those who believe in Him. He gave us mercy and grace to enter into Life forever. When we reflect on the significant gift this actually is there’s no other choice than to REJOICE!!!!!

Hallelujah!!!! Rejoice!!!! There’s no such thing as a bad day anymore for those in Christ Jesus!! The word for the year, REJOICE!!!

REJOICE is used 10X in the book of Phillipians. 10X REJOICE!!!!

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4




6 Common Questions About the Bible

Some frequently asked questions:

I’m a good person, I haven’t killed anyone. Why do I need Jesus or Eternal Life?

[Rom 3:12 NKJV] 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”

[Heb 9:27-28 NIV] 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

The Good Person Test:
Have I ever told a lie?
Have I ever stole anything?
Have I ever looked at person with lust?
Have I ever been angry with someone?
Have I ever dishonored or disrespected your parents?
Have I ever used God’s name in vain?

Jesus says, you’ve committed adultery in your heart if you’ve looked at someone with lust. Jesus says, you’ve committed murder in your heart, if you’ve been angry with an individual. Check out Matthew 5.

If you’ve answered yes, to any of these, that would make you potentially a lieing, thief, adulterous, murderer, dishonorable, blasphemer.

Have you ever wondered, “why can’t I help but do these things?

I know these things are wrong, but I do them anyway.”

All of us, if we are honest with ourselves, know we’ve done such things. Our conscience bears witness to this reality. Therefore we know we are not “good.”

[Rom 3:20-27 NKJV] 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth [as] a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where [is] boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

The reason you can’t help but do these things is because your “spirit” has been dead to the things of God.

What do you mean, “My spirit is dead?”

When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of “good and evil” mentioned in the book of Genesis in the Bible, sin entered the world. Our spirit, died and separated from God. As soon as this happened it was impossible to be perfect and holy in the sight of God.
Because of the finished work of the cross, Jesus defeated death and sin, allowing restoration and reconciliation between God and man.

Becoming “born again” through baptism makes your spirit come to life. For the first time in your entire life, you now have the opportunity to connect – spirit to Spirit with God. The Holy Spirit will now be able to bring revelation and understanding regarding the Bible. Until, you’re born again, the Bible really won’t make sense.

When we become born again, we then become called – sons of God. That’s right, we are adopted as sons and daughters of the Living God. Everything Jesus did, we can do (aside from dieing on the cross for the remission of sins – we can’t do that). He’s given us all authority to take dominion on earth as it is in Heaven.

What’s it mean to follow Jesus?
[Mar 8:34 NKJV] 34 When He had called the people to [Himself], with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

[Mar 10:21 NKJV] 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

[Luk 9:23 NKJV] 23 Then He said to [them] all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

[Luk 14:27-30, 33 NKJV] 27 “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has [enough] to finish [it]– 29 “lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see [it] begin to mock him, 30 “saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ … 33 “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

[Jhn 14:15, 21 NKJV] 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. … 21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Are Heaven and Hell real?

[Luk 16:19-31 NKJV] 19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 “But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 “desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

23 “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’

25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 ‘for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’

30 “And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

[1Pe 3:21-22 NKJV] 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

[Rev 5:13 NKJV] 13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power [Be] to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

[Mat 10:28 NKJV] 28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

[Rev 19:20 NKJV] 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

[Rev 20:10, 14-15 NKJV] 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet [are]. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. …

14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
This is real. Heaven is real. Hell is real.

What’s it going to be, Heaven or Hell?